Pistacia

Pistacia
Pistacia chinensis with autumn colour
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Anacardiaceae
Genus:	Pistacia
Species
10, see text

Pistacia is a genus of ten species in the family Anacardiaceae, native to the Canary Islands, northwest Africa, southern Europe, central and western Asia, and North America (Mexico, Texas). They are shrubs and small trees growing to 5–15 m tall. The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, and can be either evergreen or deciduous depending on species. All species are dioecious.^{[citation needed]} The genus is estimated to be about 80 million years old.^[1]

Cultivation and uses

Pistacia vera seed is edible

Pistacia vera, a small tree, is grown for its edible seeds (see Pistachio). The seeds of the other species were also eaten in prehistory, but are too small to have commercial value today. Records of Pistacia from pre-classical archaeological sites, and mentions in pre-classical texts, always refer to one of these other species (often P. terebinthus).^{[citation needed]}

Pistacia terebinthus, known as Terebinth, a native of Iran and the western Mediterranean countries, is tapped for turpentine. Pistacia palaestina is a similar species, common in the eastern Mediterranean countries.

Terebinth resin was widely used as a preservative in ancient wine because it has the ability to kill certain bacteria. In the Zagros mountains of Iran, archaeologists discovered terebinth resin deposits from 5400-5000 BC in jars that also contained grape juice residue. It is one of the earliest examples of winemaking. ^[2]

Pistacia lentiscus, an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Mediterranean region, supplies a resin (see Mastic).

Autumn colours of Pistacia chinensis

Pistacia chinensis is grown as an ornamental tree, valued for its bright red autumn leaf colour; it is also the most frost-tolerant species in the genus (see Chinese Pistache).

Pistacia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Emperor Moth. The tree also has aromatic flavour and its oil is also used as aromatic oils.

Other species

• Pistacia afghanistania
• Pistacia atlantica - betoum
• Pistacia khinjuk
• Pistacia mexicana - Mexican pistache
• Pistacia texana - Texas pistache
• Pistacia wienmannifolia

References

External links

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